Ram type refuse loader

ABSTRACT

A ram type loader for an incinerator that is adapted to move bulk type waste material from a hopper into the incinerator. The ram is located in an elongate housing connected to the incinerator and is actuated by hydraulic or other driving means. The driving means is carried on independent support structure that is guided for movement along the longitudinal axis of the elongate housing. The ram itself is stabilized by the movable guided support structure for the driving means so as to preclude binding or oblique movement of the ram as it is moved along the longitudinal axis of the housing.

United States Patent [191 Stockman [4 Feb. 4, 1975 [54] RAM TYPE REFUSE LOADER I 3,368,478 2/1968 Clar 100/245 X Inventor: gRichard F. Stockman, Friendship 3,782,275 1/1974 Webster 100/98 R NY I 7 Primary Examiner Robert G Sheridan Assignw p y Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wayne H. Lang We svi e,

[22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 400,086 A ram type loader for an incinerator that is adapted to move bulk type waste material from a hopper into the incinerator. The ram is located in an elongate housing [52] US. Cl 214/23, 1l010g/919d910202/7455, connected to incinerator and is actuated by [51] Int Cl i 3/12 draulic or other driving means. The driving means is [58] i 83 3 82' carried on independent support structure that is '5 16/124 f guided for movement along the longitudinal axis of the 1 elongate housing. The ram itself is stabilized by the movable guided support structure for the driving means so as to preclude binding or oblique movement [56] References cued of the ram as it is moved along the longitudinal axis of UNITED STATES PATENTS the housing 1,740,610 12/1929 Lenk 214/23 3,178,059

4/1965 Packwood 222/45 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures RAM TYPE REFUSE LOADER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings the packer comprises cooperating The present invention relates to a ram type loader 5 walls that form a housing enclosing a compacting having a compaction member that is adapted to be moved through a chamber in a-longitudinal direction against a massof waste material ahead of the compaction member. The compaction member is provided with special guide means that at all times maintain it normal to the axis of the chamber which it is being moved so as to precludeany tilting or oblique movement of the compaction member that would increase its resistance-to movement.

2. Description of Prior Art Heretofore it has been proposed that a ram type loader of the type herein defined be provided with an excess of motive power whereby any jamming or bindingof the ram that may cause an added resistance to movement would simply be overcome by the excess of motive power. Other apparatus has been provided with a plurality of hydraulic drive cylinders that apply an equal force to spaced-apart locations on the compacting mechanism. Although such apparatus may be partially successful in its operation, it is complicated and expensive to install and properly operate. Moreover, for a compacting ram that has a high ratio of width to height, there is still a significant amount of twisting or turning caused by uneven loading conditions that increase the resistance to movement in a longitudinal direction, or may cause a complete stoppage of the ram.

SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide an improved ram type loader for an incinerator that effectively provides an economical loading of waste material therein and simultaneously provides long term continuously trouble-free operation. The ram type loader is adapted to move freely at all times and to require a lower hydraulic pressure for acutation than is customary for conventional apparatus of a similar type. Generally this performance is attained by maintaining the drive means for the ram closely aligned with the ram, while the ram itself is maintained normal to the axis and is continuously aligned within the housing through which itmoves.

In accordance with the invention, I provide an improved ram type loader for waste disposal apparatus in which a compaction device moved by a hydraulic cylinder is provided with guide means that prevents the ram from being jammed as a result of twisting or oblique movement that may be effected by uneven loading conditions ahead of the ram.

This is especially important in the actuation of extremely wide loading apparatus that may require a ram of from two, three or more times as wide as it is high whereby a significant amount of twisting or turning of the ram may be caused by binding that is a result of uneven material loading conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the material loader as applied to an incinerator, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the ram and actuating mechanism therefor.

chamber 12. The compacting chamber is provided with a loading opening 14 through which a mass of waste or other material is loaded from means such as hopper 16.

Situated in the chamber 12 is a compaction member or ram 18 that is longitudinally slidable therein and adapted to move material from the hopper 16 into an incinerator or the like 22 to which the loader is attached by bolts or similar connecting means. The top of the compaction member 18 is sized to extend between opposite sides of said opening and serve as a door to close opening 14 when it is actuated in an extreme forward position so as to prevent material from the hopper from falling behind the compaction member.

Means for moving the compaction member 18 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 24 that includes a piston connected to the packing member by a connecting rod 28 having a pivotal connection 32. A second hydraulic cylinder 30 attached thereto in lateral juxtaposition includes a piston having a connecting rod 35 extending in an opposite direction and pivotally attached at 36 to permanently fixed housing structure.

A source of pressure fluid including hydraulic pressure hoses, valves, switches and the like arranged in accordance with standard design practice are connected to the cylinders 24 and 30 to simultaneously supply a pressure fluid thereto to move the pistons therein back and forth to actuate the compactor l8. Inasmuch as only standard practice is involved in this matter the details of construction are not here described.

The carriage supporting the hydraulic cylinders 24 and 30 is both vertically and horizontally guided by roller support structure fixed thereto. The support structure includes a framework having rollers 42 guided against vertical movement and rollers 45 guided against horizontal movement as they roll on the inner surface of the fixed housing structure 10.

While the carriage for the hydraulic cylinders is longitudinally movable within the housing 10 on rollers 42 and 45 it is simultaneously precluded from lateral movement with respect to the surrounding housing structure by the same rollers which abut the chamber walls. At the same'time rollers 52 rotatably secured to a trailing member 54 that depends from compaction member 18 are adapted to be frictionally held against rails 47 on laterally spaced portions of the carriage. This arrangement permits the compaction member to at all times be, moved parallel to the longitudinal axis of the compaction chamber but it prevents the compaction member 18 from twisting or turning obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing 10 as may be caused by uneven loading conditions ahead of the compaction member 18.

An indicator 62 that continuously shows the relative position of the compacting ram in the chamber has been devised to depend from the underside of the housing in a position that does not interfere with the horizontal movement of the ram nor does it protrude behind the ram and create excessive space requirements for the entire apparatus.

The indicator includes a flexible cable 66 that is secured to compacting ram 18 at one end, extended over a roller 68, passed through opening 72 and around weighted pully 74 before it is secured at the opposite end of fixed housing structure at 76. The pulley 74 is provided with a pointer 82 that moves up and down in accordance to the horizontal position of the compacting ram 12 within its housing, and would involve no inventive concepts to include a system of limit switches to be actuated upon movement of the pointer 82 so that the entire assembly would be automatic. Inasmuch as the indicator 62 includes a pulley system with a mechanical advantage of two, movement of the pointer 82 is but one-half that of compacting ram 18, but the relationship of the pointer 82 will at all times indicate the true position of the ram.

Thus a loading device having a simple guide means for a compacting ram is disclosed, however equivalent guide means may be substituted therefor without resorting to invention. It is therefore intended that all material shown in the accompanying drawing or described in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A loader for an incinerator that comprises fixed housing structure having inner walls that form a compaction chamber, an opening in said housing for loading a mass of material into said chamber, a compaction member movable along the longitudinal axis of the compaction chamber, means for moving the compaction member along the longitudinal axis of the housing between a forward position at one side of said opening and a rearward position at the opposite side of said opening including a pair of oppositely directed driving means intermediate the compaction member and the housing structure, means connecting one of said driving means to the compaction member and another to the fixed structure, a power supply for applying a driving force to said driving means, means supporting said driving means comprising support structure guided for movement along the longitudinal axis of said chamber, and trailing means guiding said compaction member along the longitudinal axis of said compaction chamber.

2. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 1 wherein the support structure includes guide means that bear horizontally and vertically against the housing structure to maintain linear movement of the compaction member.

3. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 1 wherein the trailing means depending from said compaction member includes a member extending longitudinally from the compaction member, and bearing means on said trailing member abutting the support structure for the driving means to maintain movement thereof parallel to the axis of the housing.

4. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 1 including a flexible cable, means connecting one end of said cable to the movable compaction member, means connecting the opposite end of said cable to fixed housing structure, and a movable pulley supported on said cable intermediate its ends whereby said pulley will move vertically in response to horizontal movement of the compaction member along the longitudinal axis of the compaction chamber.

5. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 4 including a pointer on said pulley, and an indicator fixed to said housing whereby vertical movement of said pulley will move the pointer adjacent said indicator to indicate the horizontal position of the movable compaction member. 

1. A loader for an incinerator that comprises fixed housing structure having inner walls that form a compaction chamber, an opening in said housing for loading a mass of material into said chamber, a compaction member movable along the longitudinal axis of the compaction chamber, means for moving the compaction member along the longitudinal axis of the housing between a forward position at one side of said opening and a rearward position at the opposite side of said opening including a pair of oppositely directed driving means intermediate the compaction member and the housing structure, means connecting one of said driving means to the compaction member and another to the fixed structure, a power supply for applying a driving force to said driving means, means supporting said driving means comprising support structure guided for movement along the longitudinal axis of said chamber, and trailing means guiding said compaction member along the longitudinal axis of said compaction chamber.
 2. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 1 wherein the support structure includes guide means that bear horizontally and vertically against the housing structure to maintain linear movement of the compaction member.
 3. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 1 wherein the trailing means depending from said compaction member includes a member extending longitudinally from the compaction member, and bearing means on said trailing member abutting the support structure for the driving means to maintain movement thereof parallel to the axis of the housing.
 4. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 1 including a flexible cable, means connecting one end of said cable to the movable compaction member, means connecting the opposite end of said cable to fixed housing structure, and a movable pulley supported on said cable intermediate its ends whereby said pulley will move vertically in response to horizontal movement of the compaction member along the longitudinal axis of the compaction chamber.
 5. A loader for an incinerator as defined in claim 4 including a pointer on said pulley, and an indicator fixed to said housing whereby vertical movement of said pulley will move the pointer adjacent said indicator to indicate the horizontal position of the movable compaction member. 